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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

this year, unlike other years, unlike ever before in my life come to think of it, i actually got to go to NYC and SEE the art! in the museum. where it lives. yep, we got to spend two whole days at the Metropolitan Museum of Art! it was definitely top o' the list of places we wanted to visit and it did not disappoint.

ahhh. so much fun.

now to be considered in this drawing, you don't have to be a regular reader of this blog, you don't even have to really do anything in return. you just have to want one. simply enter a comment on any post here at fisher academy's blog BEFORE midnight on 1/1/2015. that way, i'll know you're interested.i'll do the drawing on new years' day.

oh, and if you're dying to get one of these and wanna increase your chances, new likes on our facebook page during december, will get an extra entry. because that just makes for more fun for some people. :)

OR if you just can't wait and want to be SURE to get one. buy yours now, by clicking HERE.

we love turning the pages of this art calendar every day. it's a page-a-day, so there's a unique piece of art or history for each day of the year. sometimes it's ancient weapons or armor, sometimes it's a painting. it's fun! it comes in handy for discussions about art study, for book of centuries illustrations, and even copywork (my young kids use it to copy the date!).

Monday, December 29, 2014

Have you seen Yesterday's Classics e-book bundles? A LOT of books that Ambleside Online has recommended for decades and AOers have been enjoying for just as long, are included, conveniently and beautifully formatted into e-books!

For those of us who live overseas, this is a HUGE treasure trove of books we don't have to lug around, which really means only one glorious thing... we have MORE room for other books in our suitcases!

Not only will you have more room, you'll have more book money 'cause with these bundles you end up paying only 50 cents a book!

Yes, many if not most are available somewhere online for free, but NOT always in an easily navigable or beautifully illustrated format. I do like free, but I also like convenience sometimes.
Just think, by searching garage sales for 15 years, you might find these kind of prices.

Honestly, I may already own the majority of these in book form. And maybe I did lug every one of them overseas (hardcover, too! eek! the weight!!) since we've been using AmblesideOnline long before Yesterday's Classics bundles existed. But, even if you don't travel much, if you have multiple children like I do, and you can afford it, I think the convenience of having the book in electronic format is worth it. If for no other reason, it is SO nice for each kid to have their own copy on their kindle!

can you believe more than six months have passed without a word from Fisher Academy?
heheh. and see? the world is still turning. :)

i bet you've had some interesting moments in this past half-year! i would have loved to have shared those with you. unfortunately, furlough kind of snuck up and held me hostage. i had no idea beforehand that six months across the US and Canada, in a van, with a family of 8, including a baby, would be so busy! HAhAHaHAHaHAhAh!

whoa, was i naïve! my expectations having been ever so slightly unrealistic, i thought writing a minimum of blog posts would be no big deal.

i do sincerely apologize for not keeping up with communications here... it became pretty evident early on, the first week to be precise, that i would spend all my energy keeping up with our super packed itinerary alone. we were SO blessed being able to spend time with SO many people. we hardly had time to sleep!

regardless, i feel pretty bad that i just up and kind of disappeared without even a word. :(
i hope you'll forgive me.

one of the countless things that has become crystal clear to me over these past months is
that as much as we'd like to DO everything and BE everything... we can't.

we only have 24 hours in each day. likely, only 16 of those are awake hours.
we blink and 6 months happen. well, almost. life goes by very quickly. there are only 365 earth blinks times 70, give or take, in a lifetime. i know that you know this. but you may not have thought about the fact that we only get about 25-30,000 days. total.
at least half of mine are already spent.
at most, i only have 900 days left with my oldest boys in the house. i don't have time to mess around. i've got to live fully. today.

we only have time for one day at a time. the day the Lord gives.

we don't have time to do what everyone else is doing, or what everyone else might like for us to do. when it comes down to it, we don't have time to do what we'd like to do each day!
and until the day turns, we don't know what unexpected events will come around that corner demanding our immediate attention.

so just like that, six months pass.

it was about all i could do to keep up with my 100mph husband who laughs at the idea of turning down an invitation! (He makes a good missionary).

first, we drove from Texas to Northern Alberta. i know, right? there aren't enough letters in that sentence to give it the weight it deserves. let me just say it again. we drove from Texas to Northern Alberta. that is a LONG way, folks. not only that, we meandered.

from there, we traversed over mountains with glaciers and then pretty directly across to the west coast, hitting Washington, Oregon and California. after a couple of months like that, having seen our families, we drove halfway back across the continent. we stopped a handful of times along the way of course before flying the other half to the east coast of New Jersey. did you catch the latest heavyweight? coast. to. coast. let me reiterate. we drove the height, half the width, half the width again and then flew half again of North America.

and on our way, we spent a lot of moments with really neat people. i am really thankful for all of that.

i only really regret not having time for writing and posting pictures & updates.
do forgive me, and i'll love you forever. :)

phew. thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

i have a few more posts coming off the stacks VERY SOON, in which we need to talk about:

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Snag a button if you wanna! :)
Come back and share your nature studies with us this month!

The {Nature Study Monday} link up is for ANY nature study-ish blog post written at any time during the current month. Which means, when you submit your link, it will show up in every. single. {NSM} post. during the whole month! Oh, and be not confused, feel free to link up on any day, be it Monday or not!

Monday, May 19, 2014

When it comes to education it's important to keep a balanced view of things. This is true because, all areas of life demand that we keep a balanced view. It's the way it is. Years ago when Charlotte Mason promoted the now well known motto 'Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life', none of these thoughts were 'new'. The emphasis of atmosphere in education wasn't original to her. Neither were these: 'Education is a Life' or 'Education is a Discipline'. These thoughts have all come and gone again and again. Taken individually, none is complete. Alone, each tends to one extreme or another.

As important as each aspect is, for example, atmosphere is not enough. It isn't enough to have a beautiful classroom, the best equipment and the picture perfect teacher with influence and knowledge to boot. If that were ALL there were to education, boredom, laziness, a lack of both curiosity and power of attention would be inevitable. Externals can only take you so far.

On the other hand, 'education as life' would tend to complete exhaustion. It be a literal case of too. much. information. One can only do so much learning without coming back round to the same ennui (n :a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.) Over much internal pressure will cause explosion! The brain reverts to a vegetable state in order to survive.

Any one of these mottoes taken alone is insufficient for summing up education because by itself each tips the balance to one extreme or another.

“Our nature craves after unity.” (p155)

Which is why Charlotte Mason proclaims, Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, AND a Life. All three.
When it comes to curriculum, it must be wide, varied, and balanced. It must be a feast of living ideas; from the past and present, from first-hand sources, from 'REALLY good books' (I really love that she emphasizes good books with the word 'really'. I really do.).

This is the way things are. As persons fashioned after an infinite God, we are complex beings. We must consider ALL our intricately interwoven parts when we think about educating persons. We can't afford to go to one extreme or the other. Balance. Education must be the Science of Relations:

“A child should be brought up to have relations of force with earth and water, should run and ride, swim and skate, lift and carry; should know texture, and work in material; should know by name, and where and how they live at any rate, the things of the earth about him, its birds and beasts and creeping things, its herbs and trees; should be in touch with the literature, art and thought of the past and the present I do not mean that he should know all these things; but he should feel, when he reads of it in the newspapers, the thrill which stirred the Cretan peasants when the frescoes in the palace of King Minos were disclosed to the labour of their spades. He should feel the thrill, not from mere contiguity, but because he has with the past the relationship of living pulsing thought...”

“He must have a living relationship with the present, its historic movement, its science, literature, art, social needs and aspirations. In fact, he must have a wide outlook, intimate relations all round; and force, virtue, must pass out of him,whether of hand, will, or sympathy, wherever he touches.” (p161-2)

:)

This post is based on my own thoughts about Chapter 14 in Volume 3, School Education by Charlotte Mason. The topic, A Master Thought, is May's topic for the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival 2014 Schedule. If you'd like to read other posts on the subject, be sure to read all the May editions.

If you'd like to share your post with the upcoming carnival, find out how here. Find links to past CMBCarnivals here.

Monday, May 12, 2014

time at the beach. sea gulls. shells. tides. colorful sunsets. and more.

::

new-to-us flowers on the coast.

Snag a button if you wanna! :)
Come back and share your nature studies with us this month!

The {Nature Study Monday} link up is for ANY nature study-ish blog post written at any time during the current month. Which means, when you submit your link, it will show up in every. single. {NSM} post. during the whole month! Oh, and be not confused, feel free to link up on any day, be it Monday or not!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

When considering Religious Training for homeschoolers, I got to wondering how and when this goes on in the average home. I realized in our house we don't have a formal time set aside called Daily Religious Training, that would be... um, well. Something anyway. Yet, you may have noticed? There is always a whole lot of training going on... whether we like it or not.

Regardless of whether or not we are aware of it, I believe that because we are humans created in God's image, we are religious, aware or unaware, and are being trained for better or worse from the time we're born. In that sense Religious Training doesn't really start in school years. It starts in Mom and Dad and is an integral part of the family culture even before the kids come. Matter of fact, I believe it's less what we do and more of who we are.

Our kids will sense our religion, what we believe and who we worship, whether we verbally lay it all out or not. We either show reverence toward God or we don't. We love Him or we don't. We serve Him or we don't. We may find that we show more reverence for Science or Nature than we do God. We may love or serve ourselves or some other thing more than God. Not showing reverence or not loving God or not serving Him comes in many different shades. Either way, our kids will know a great deal about our religion, regardless of what we say.

There is much more that could be said about that.

So how would you talk about the Religious Training that happens in your home?
When trying to pinpoint when religious exercise happens in your house, you might consider the following questions:

What place does God have in our home? Do we mention Him throughout the day? In what context? With what attitude? Is He only thought of during mealtime grace or while taking disciplinary action? Do we talk to Him? Alone and with our children? How often? With what attitude?
Do we love Him?

What place does the Bible have in our home? Do we read as a family? In what context? With what attitude? Do our kids see us feeding from it for ourselves? Are we familiar with all its parts? Is it basically seen as a rulebook? Do we understand it and know the stories?
Do we love it?

What holy days does our family recognize? In what ways do we keep them holy?

::

There are many other questions we could probably consider when thinking about this Very Important of Topics.

I didn't make time to post more this month, even though I wanted to very much. I have lots of thoughts. Alas, the demands on my present are more than will allow for much time for writing these days. I hope, however, that we might take some time to ponder the questions mentioned above and earmark a few for future thought and action.

This post is based on thoughts on Chapter 13 in Volume 3, School Education by Charlotte Mason. The topic, Some Unconsidered Aspects of Religious Training, is one option for posts advocated by the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival 2014 Schedule for April.

If you'd like to read other posts on the subject, be sure to read all the April editions.
If you'd like to share your post with the upcoming carnival, find out how here.
Find links to past CMBCarnivals here.

Though many of us don't follow the same school schedule, especially those schooling year-round or those living in the Southern Hemisphere, most North Americans are coming into the home stretch this schoolyear. I hope you've all had a productive year meeting challenges head on and coming out having learned something useful!

"Can you step back in your misty memory and recall some of the fantastic imaginings of your childhood, some of the absolutely unbelievable things you used to unhesitatingly believe? There really was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, a jolly old man in a red suit that slid down the chimney, and a monster under the bed, wasn't there?"

Nebby talks about reading comprehension and it's place in a CM education and asks us 'Where does it fit in?'

Celeste relishes in Laurie Bestvater's wisdom from her recently published book The Living Page.

In her post The Charlotte Mason Method, Megan walks us through an inspiring quote by C.D. Lawe, "The purpose of education should be to lead a child into the fullest, truest, noblest, and most fruitful relations of which he is capable, with the world in which he lives."

Based on years of experience, Tammy looks at this month's topic through the lens of an autistic family. Beautiful in Its Time is an insightful read for all of us as we care for others in our community.

In her last couple of posts Patti has been inspiring our artistic side by highlighting the works of Jacob von Rueysdale, Georg Philipp Telemann and A.A.Milne.

By subscribing to the Carnival Announcement/Reminder list you can stay up-to-date and never miss another carnival. Plus, you'll receive handy dandy monthly ideas & links pertaining to the current topic... for free! ;) oh wait, it's all free! heheh.

Also, please encourage your bloggy AND non‐bloggy friends, who love Charlotte Mason and/or those who are newly interested, to visit the CMBCarnival, the more the merrier!! :)

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

If it had been up to Mya our 6yo, we would be calling our new little Ellia, 'Fantastic'...
Because, obviously, she IS.

A couple of weeks ago during our family think tank putting all possible baby names on the table, her's was BY FAR the best suggestion.
Her other suggestion, Snowflake as a close second... :)

Fantastic. It's the perfect name really.

Imagine getting to introduce yourself, "Hello, I'm Fantastic!" That would be seriously awesome.
I do almost wish we could have done it.

Either way, we've had almost two full weeks now of regular stuff with a whole lot of fantastic on the side! :)

1) In the clinic. Yikes. I do NOT take much pleasure in having taken and now posting these pictures in the So Very Soon After Birth look I'm sporting, but hey... my kids all look REAL good. :)

2) We have this really cool tradition of celebrating each child's birth day before leaving the birth center with a birthday party complete with cake. Micah brought *Black Jungle Cake*, an appropriately named and typically yummy Peruvian chocolate cake. He had it inscribed with, Feliz Dia de Nacimiento Fantastica! {Happy Birthday Fantastic!} The doctors and nurses were amused. We did LOTS of things that were new to them... fun.

3) Outside the clinic. Gotta love the security bars on the outside AND the dirt roads... :)

4) No carseats required. Though we would have gotten one if we could have bought one. No carseats even for sale in our city!! A friend from Trujillo is sending one soon! ;)

Monday, April 7, 2014

We are new to CM. How do you go about doing a nature study without mommy having to research so much. Between the internet and books there is so much info out there! Is there a self contained book that we could get?

A:

Way back when I started doing nature study, this was my secret (though I didn't realize the genius of it back then) AND actually, it's what I still do...

1) Get Out.

2) Look at Stuff.

3) Love it.

It's that simple... and get this... it's contagious.

At first glance this answer may seem to sidestep the question. You might say, the question was about research.... Yet, regardless, I still hold it's the best response. Further down, I'll tell you why. After that, I'll tell you about which book I recommend. But wait, no skipping ahead. ;)

'Kay. I'm about to share some really great news you can relax about... Are you ready? Set. Go.

Nature study is not just about finding names for things. It's not all about making lists or drawing pictures of those things either (though those things are great extensions!). To do nature study, we actually don't need to have very much book knowledge or other materials to get started OR even to keep at it.

You see, nature study is not really an *academic* pursuit.
It's more than that. WAY more.

Nature study is about seeing. It is building acquaintances over time with the things we see. It's about getting to know something good. Through regular nature walks we build intimacies with divinely crafted wonders, great and small. By doing this we are actually doing so. much. more. for our kids, for ourselves, than we can even imagine.

Many amazing artists, brilliant scientists and regular joes (like me and those smarter than me) have touted the influence that spending time outdoors as a child has had on the inspiration for their field of work. Somehow, I doubt that many would be referring to time spent as a child researching nature study. I suspect, that the majority are referring to time spent being in nature and having loved it for its own sake.

There have been many studies on the life-giving effects of time spent outdoors both for children and adults, which I will leave you to research for yourself if you are interested. My point here being, the benefits of nature study are going to be gained not ONLY by looking stuff up in books or on the internet, doing drawings or making lists. These benefits will be experienced with time. Because of this, I think it is highly important that we try to relax on the research, especially at first, and really just revel.

Now. Obviously, part of what makes nature study feel rewarding (instead of humiliating) is knowing the names for things. Many of us feel ripped off having grown up with no. nature. knowledge. whatsoever. But don't stress and don't rush. Believe me, over time, if you make those 3 easy steps above a priority, you will come to know about things, if you stick with it. What is more, you'll learn a whole lot of things you never expected! You see, books can't tell you how you'll feel about the first hopefully tenacious shoot of the daffodil in the spring or how even though it was your first love of spring, when it shrivels, it's okay because over there are the tulips, and across the way are the bushes and trees with their sweet tiny green buds and the sun and the dew and everything is starting to wake up and there's new life everywhere... The book knowledge, yes, eventually, because it's nice to be able to talk about our new found friends with mutual acquaintances. But first, the intimacies, these are what we really want to nurture. :)

In summary, when just beginning one should spend lots of time (months?!) simply getting outside, with the priority of opening eyes and hearts to nature. After some time (err on the side of too much rather than too little), you and your kids will begin to recognize some birds and plants and whatever other by sight. Next, you'll probably notice those same things in other areas (roadside, friends' houses, etc), and THEN is the time you might look for the names of those new acquaintances in a book or by asking Someone Who Knows.

Of course, there may be no harm done in using books sooner if you really understand the purpose of them! But, I really think it's THAT important to instill a love of nature in you and your kids BEFORE instituting any activity that might give off scent of *schoolwork*.

:)

Still, the question remains. Once one has all their priorities straight as regards nature study, where should one begin when using books and other resources? Is there one go-to resource?

I continue to suggest Handbook of Nature Study by Ann Comstock as the best all-in-one resource. Yes, it's huge. Yes, it's intimidating. Still, it is by far the most comprehensive and helpful resource for parents and teachers that I've seen yet. There are a lot of resources that may be newer and flashier (and smaller), but I will venture to say this is the absolute best go-to reference for beginning to teach (and continuing to teach) nature study. Use it as a teacher reference. Read the Intro and you'll see what I mean. It's rich!

Other sources for nature study inspiration may be found reading biographies of naturalists, people who have LOVED studying nature, such as Rachel Carson or John Audubon. There are many others but these are pretty widely accessible.

Also, I highly suggest that everyone visit their local nature centers and talk to real-live nature enthusiasts. They'll most likely be by far the best resource for identifying birds, plants, animals, geology, geography and more for specific regions. They'll also be able to steer one toward the field guides that will serve best in one's specific area.

And yes, as you go along pick up a few field guides relevant to your area. By the time you've done all the above, I doubt you'll have to ask anyone which books are the best ones!

You can do it!! ;)

Snag a button if you wanna! :)
Come back and share your nature studies with us this month!

The {Nature Study Monday} link up is for ANY nature study-ish blog post written at any time during the current month. Which means, when you submit your link, it will show up in every. single. {NSM} post. during the whole month! Oh, and be not confused, feel free to link up on any day, be it Monday or not!

Saturday, April 5, 2014

This coming Monday, the next edition of the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival will be posted! Hopefully, you have already sent in a blog post to be featured in the carnival next week, but if not, you have two days left!

Please join us by submitting a post, or just reading along. Posts are due by 4/7 before 5pm EST. Send the link to your post in an e‐mail to: charlottemasonblogs (at) gmail (dot) com. *Remember, you are welcome to share an older post (written by you or someone else) that goes along with this month's topic, we'd love to read it again!

As always, we gladly receive all Charlotte Mason inspired blog posts! Bloggers vary widely in their gifts and experiences, which means, we can all learn from each other. We hope you'll share with us!

Below, you will find an optional topic, a thought provoking quote and several ideas for those who need a little writing prompt or who would like some direction for further study. :)

**Announcement**
I completely failed to send out the e-mail announcement for the last CM Blog Carnival!
I did have an-ever-so-slightly-busy week... but still. ;) If you missed the last edition because of my negligence, please don't hesitate another moment, go read it now! :)**

"It is a very sad fact that many children get their first ideas of God in the nursery, and that these are of a Being on the watch for their transgressions and always ready to chastise." v3,p145

"The importance of reverent attitudes isa little apt to be overlooked in these days. We are, before all things, sincere, and are afraid to insist upon 'mere forms,' feeling it best to leave the child to the natural expression of his own emotions." v3,p141

Authority in Religious Education & How it Works.

The Habits of the Religious Life: of Reading the Bible, of Praise, of Sunday-keeping.

Habit of the Thought of God.

Reverent Attitudes & Regularity in Devotions

Inspiring Ideas of the Religious Life.

The Fatherhood of God, the Kingship of Christ, our Saviour, the Indwelling of the Holy Ghost.

By subscribing to the Carnival Announcement/Reminder list you can stay up-to-date and never miss another carnival. Plus, you'll receive handy dandy monthly ideas & links pertaining to the current topic... for free! ;) oh wait, it's all free! heheh.

Also, please encourage your bloggy AND non‐bloggy friends, who love Charlotte Mason and/or those who are newly interested, to visit the CMBCarnival, the more the merrier!! :)

Monday, March 24, 2014

"The subject of moral progress does not belong solely to the religious world. It is not altogether a matter of
religion ; it is a matter of that good sense, that idea of public utility which' considers the welfare of the immediate present, and looks with a benevolent eye to an improved manhood in the future. For morality is almost as beautiful when viewed as a guiding element to man in this world's transactions as it is when viewed as an essential to happiness in the world to come."
Moral and Literary Training in PUBLIC SCHOOLS by JOHN B. PEASLEE, p13

All moral progress depends on the consistency with which the great religious idea is made to permeate every suggestion: and yet all intellectual progress is possible only through the constant development of such qualities as perseverance, observation and attention, which are themselves but a continuation of moral growth; even in the case of physical training the motto of one and indivisible is still continued, and Bousseau's saying: "The weaker the body is, the more it commands; the stronger it is, the more it obeys," will perhaps serve to remind you of what I am thinking, and how the disregard of even this lowest point in the educationalist's programme is sufficient to bring to ruin a work that aims at the building up the stature of a perfect man.Education, Part 1 by the Rev. M.R. Lutener

These are just some of the words I've had clunking around in the back of my head over the last couple of days. I haven't gotten any thoughts written down yet, but I plan to update this post today or tomorrow. We've had lice, visitors, serious stomach illness and a 16th birthday that kept me from sitting and plunking out a post.

I'm submitting it to the CM Blog Carnival as-is, please check back tomorrow if you're interested in further thoughts...

:)

This post is based on thoughts on Chapter 12 in Volume 3, School Education by Charlotte Mason. The topic, Some Unconsidered Aspects of Moral Training, is one option for a topic advocated by the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival 2014 Schedule. If you'd like to read other posts on the subject, be sure to read all the March editions.
If you'd like to share your post with the upcoming carnival, find out how here.
Find links to past CMBCarnivals here.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

A four legged butterfly.
How intensely interesting is that?! Read on if you are mystified... or even if you're not. You might learn something.
I did!! :)

Well, I promised a post, and I can't say that it'll be super interesting to everyone, but we certainly enjoyed ourselves! ;) Hopefully, you are getting outside (daily?) already and enjoying yourselves just as much this March in your own corner of the world! I know that at least several of you are doing just that and were mighty quick on the draw with your posts. Three of you beat me to the linky! Shoot. I can get the nature studies done, but the posts... Well, all I can say is, I claim tired-exammed-out-prego brain.

{Please do share your nature study posts for the month! See the linky below...

There's the evidence. Look closely, it seems to have only four legs. How is that possible? Don't all insects have six? We'll get to that. Meanwhile, have you ever noticed the names of butterflies...? How 'bout a Grecian Shoemaker, Red Admiral, Isabella, Julia, Esmeralda, Mosaic, Wizard, Common Map... Wow. Cool names! Well, some of them anyway. A few of them are rather common... poor guy.

I'm pretty sure we've narrowed down the possible identity of ours to a Tiger Butterfly, a Large Tiger or a mimicry of one or the other. It's not exactly like the pictures in the book, but it does say they vary. The antennae of ours isn't orange like the typical Tiger Butterfly, rather more similar to those of the Large Tiger. Its markings are not as like the latter's as to those of the former. So, you see, I don't know. However, both are part of the Nymphalidae family, which means it is a relative of "some of the world's most beautiful and spectacular butterflies," according to my book. And what's really cool is I recognize a good number from this family.

Either way, it was fun looking it up. :)

I mentioned that we read it might be a mimicry of something else, and so we were surprised by joy when we just happened upon this interesting tidbit:

"Poisonous butterflies of the same species often fly together so that their warning colors are more easily recognized. A number of poisonous species even share a similar warning pattern. In this way, birds have only to learn that one species is poisonous to avoid all the rest. Some nonpoisonous species mimi poisonous species, so that they too are left alone. In the past, these mimicry associations have confused entomologists, who have only recognized one species where several in fact existed."

So, there you have it. We may have discovered a new species. You just never know. If so, I want everyone to note the date of this post. Just in case. :)

As to the question of legs:
My kids are the ones who pointed out to me that the butterfly only had four legs. I said, "All insects have six", and then I looked very, very closely and can I just say it's third pair seemed very non-existent? I told the kids they must be there... somewhere. I even showed them where they could be completely and perfectly hidden... practically invisible even. But, as motherly as possible, I kept my doubts to myself.

I admit, I looked it up tonight for backup. In the book it says reassuringly, "The most important characteristic separating this large group from other species of butterfly is the front pair of legs, which are usually undeveloped so they no longer have a walking function." So there. Apparently, in many butterflies (not just this mutant family), the first pair of legs are short or kept folded up. Such is the case with our butterfly. Phew. I'm glad I was right. :) I can't wait to tell the kids.

Oh, and, we are not the only ones to have doubted. Just do a google search. It's funny. Apparently, it's a common question. :)

Want a really great butterfly book? Here's the one I use the most:

(and you can get it super cheap!)

(and at the same time throw us a tip since it's an affiliate link and all)

The {Nature Study Monday} link up is for ANY nature study-ish blog post written at any time during the current month. Which means, when you submit your link, it will show up in every. single. {NSM} post. during the whole month! Oh, and be not confused, feel free to link up on any day, be it Monday or not!

Snag a button if you wanna! :)
Come back and share your nature studies with us any time this month!

Monday, March 10, 2014

Okay, so I've been too busy with getting ready for exams, planning for next term, making a person...
so much so, that I haven't been able to get my {NSM!} post up last week and now it's almost past today and all I have are the pictures, words and the ideas... still in my head. A really tired head, I might add. :)

So, in my upcoming post, I might talk about how our Nature Study exam questions went today,
or, I might talk more about our Squash studies,
or, the cool butterfly we found that seems like it only has four legs...
or, you just never know. I might surprise you. ;)

I'm going to go ahead and post the linky RIGHT here, RIGHT now and then I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully, with everything all tidily bound up in an amazingly interesting blog post. How's that?

So, if you're ready with YOUR nature study posts from March, see if you can beat me getting them all plugged into the linky before I get back with my post... ;)
Hah!

Yeah, I double dare you.

Snag a button if you wanna! :)
Come back and share your nature studies with us any time this month!

The {Nature Study Monday} link up is for ANY nature study-ish blog post written at any time during the current month. Which means, when you submit your link, it will show up in every. single. {NSM} post. during the whole month! Oh, and be not confused, feel free to link up on any day, be it Monday or not!

Sunday, March 9, 2014

"A child's whole notion of religion is 'being good.' It is well that he should know that being good is not his whole duty to God, although it is so much of it; that the relationship of love and personal service, which he owes as a child to his Father, as a subject to his King, is even more than the 'being good' which gives our Almighty Father such pleasure in His children." v3 p136

"...that most delicate and beautiful of human possessions, an educated conscience, comes only by teaching with authority and adorning by example." v3 p129

And I don't venture far to say that the only true authority is one that is fleshed out by A Living Example. Authority won't get you very far if you don't practice what you preach.

A rather long, but oh so good illustration from my recent free-reading:

"Thus had Gibbie his first lesson in the only thing worth learning, in that which, to be learned at all, demands the united energy of heart and soul and strength and mind; and from that day he went on learning it. I cannot tell how, or what were the slow stages by which his mind budded and swelled until it burst into the flower of humanity, the knowledge of God. I cannot tell the shape of the door by which the Lord entered into that house, and took everlasting possession of it...

So, teaching him only that which she loved, not that which she had been taught, Janet read to Gibbie of Jesus, talked to him of Jesus, dreamed to him about Jesus; until at length—Gibbie did not think to watch, and knew nothing of the process by which it came about—his whole soul was full of the man, of his doings, of his words, of his thoughts, of his life. Jesus Christ was in him—he was possessed by him. Almost before he knew, he was trying to fashion his life after that of his Master...

Whatever Janet, then, might, perhaps—I do not know—have imagined it her duty to say to Gibbie had she surmised his ignorance, having long ceased to trouble her own head, she had now no inclination to trouble Gibbie's heart with what men call the plan of salvation. It was enough to her to find that he followed her Master. Being in the light she understood the light, and had no need of system, either true or false, to explain it to her. She lived by the word proceeding out of the mouth of God."

The following quote from Charlotte Mason, as well as that at the beginning of the post, make me wonder if she might have read Sir Gibbie herself. Either way, I hope you'll be inspired to read it someday. It's so good. :)

"A child cannot have a lasting sense of duty until he is brought into contact with a Supreme Authority, who is the source of law and the pleasing of whom converts duty into joy. In these rather latitudinarian days, there is perhaps no part of religious teaching more important than to train children in the sense of the immediate presence and continual going forth of the supreme Authority." v3 p137

This post is based on thoughts on Chapter 12 in Volume 3, School Education by Charlotte Mason. The topic, Some Unconsidered Aspects of Intellectual Training, is one option for a topic advocated by the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival 2014 Schedule. If you'd like to read other posts on the subject, be sure to read all the March editions.
If you'd like to share your post with the upcoming carnival, find out how here.
Find links to past CMBCarnivals here.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

This coming Monday, the next edition of the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival will be posted! I'm already looking forward to it and still formulating my thoughts for my own post to submit. You might say I've been procrastinating. :) Hopefully, you have already sent in your blog post to be featured in the carnival next week, but if not, you have two days left!

Please join us by submitting a post, or just reading along. Posts are due by 3/10 before 5pm EST. Send the link to your post in an e-mail to: charlottemasonblogs (at) gmail (dot) com.

As always, we welcome any Charlotte Mason inspired blog posts! Bloggers vary widely in their gifts and experiences, which means, we can all learn from each other. We hope you'll share with us! You might even consider submitting the link for someone else's CM blog post you've run across and been encouraged by as well.

Below, you will find an optional topic, a thought provoking quote or two and several ideas for those who need a little writing prompt or who would like some direction for further study. :)

Here are a couple of interesting things that I came across in my pre-reading of the chapter. There are many more potentially interesting ideas there as well. I'd encourage you to read the entire chapter online here.

A couple of thought provoking quotes and questions:

“Morals do not come by Nature. - No doubt every child is born with a conscience, that is, with a sense that he ought to choose the right and refuse wrong; but he is not born with the power to discern good and evil. An educated conscience is a far rarer possession than we imagine...” v3 p130

“It may be said that we neglect all additional ethical teaching because we have the Bible; but how far and how do we use it?” v3 p133

“A child's whole notion of religion is “being good.” v3 p136

To read these quotes and questions in their proper context and ponder over what Charlotte was getting at, read Ch 12 of School Education in its entirety here.

*Please see the CM Blog Carnival Schedule page for a list of dates and topics for the whole year (in progress).
**By subscribing to the Carnival Announcement/Reminder list you can stay up-to-date and never miss another carnival. Plus, you'll receive handy-dandy monthly ideas & occasional links pertaining to the topic... for free! ;) oh wait, it's all free! heheh.
***Also, please encourage your bloggy AND non-‐bloggy friends, who love Charlotte Mason and/or those who are newly interested, to visit the CMBCarnival, the more the merrier!! :)

Monday, February 24, 2014

"The reasoning power, acting in a more or less mechanical and involuntary manner, does not necessarily work towards the morally right conclusion." (v3, p117)

Right.

Have you ever experienced this?

"We all know that, entertain a notion that [so and so] is dishonest, that a friend is false, that a dress is unbecoming, and some power within us, unconsciously to us, sets to work to collect evidence and bring irrefragable proof of the position we have chosen to take up." (v3, p117)

This was my Thursday. It might be my tomorrow.
Wait. I'm about to be transparent. Are you ready for this?

This was a day I woke up with lots of 'reasons' to be annoyed, several of which are listed below, not in order of occurrence but by severity of annoyance.

#1
Because of the existence and consistent insistence upon the rule - 'Thou shalt not exit thy room and shall remain quiet, if not speechless, before 7 am', I feel it is reasonable that one might wake up somewhat grumpily before 6 am, to the tune of a six year old neighbor's singing, at the top of her lungs (even if it was Great is Thy Faithfulness), after an awake-til-2am-late-night experience of blissfully picking billions of lice out of somethree's hair.
Tired.
Want.to.sleep.more.
Can't.
Annoying.

#2
To me, it seems perfectly reasonable that I could be annoyed that someone took my running shoes outside and forgot them there overnight. It rained. They were right where whoever left them when I went searching for them, still outside, and FULL of water.
Things can potentially take a LOOOOOONNNNGGGG time to dry here in the humidity...
I don't have an extra pair.
I can't effectively walk on the treadmill in this seventh month of bulging belly in flip flops. Can't.
Yep. more annoying.

#3
Some child bursts into my room (while I am still in bed looking upon the Proverb about how to handle loud early rising neighbors) and presents incriminating evidence re: a teenager. Evidently, Certain-Fifteen-Year-Old has decided to, this very day, break a rule that he has broken weekly for the last two months, for which has been doled out timely, just, and painful consequences every.single.time.
Try to imagine the pattern with me. Infraction. Weeklong restriction. Infraction. Weeklong restriction. Infraction. FOR WEEKS LONG ON END. Today, the cycle continues.
My husband being away, I get to deal with it all.by.my.tired.grumpy.self.
You get it.
Yep. super annoying.

Honestly, I was annoyed. Very. Multiple times.

But.
Do you know what?
In part because of my recent rumination on this subject, but entirely for grace, I was able to quickly detect, even before leaving my bedroom, some fallacies in mine and my son's reasoning and therefore choose me that day whom I would serve.

You see, though there were without a doubt lots of things to be annoyed about, there are always innumerably MORE things to be thankful for. For example, that I have legs and am able to walk; that eventually, the sun will shine again, my shoes will dry, and even if they don't, I can afford another pair or ask my mother-in-law for one ;). And, how thankful I truly am to have a 6 year old daughter, a delightful child (who sings Great is Thy Faithfulness to boot).

Now in the case of the teenager, it was a little more difficult to find the bright side... heheh. Well, seriously, I'm only partly kidding. However, what an immense privilege to talk with him about how the decisions made right.this.very.minute do have an impact on who he is becoming, his character; about the importance of self-government; and how submission to authority now is simply practice for days when he'll have to will himself to obey an Invisible Authority without parents who look over shoulders. He may have said 'Amen' to that.

We got to discuss how we are capable of convincing ourselves using our REASON that certain things, while forbidden, are not that bad... or, it isn't really going to hurt anyone... or, this rule is unreasonable compared to... or, if I can indulge and just not get caught... or, only this one last time. I can stop this habit whenever I decide to... or... whatever.

Sin is sin. Disobedience of authority is disobedience of Authority. We can and naturally will use reason to justify sin, UNLESS we keep in step with the Spirit. The lights came on. The waters broke. I gave an illustration, which I can't remember now, and complimented myself on it; as it was really quite perfect considering. I wished aloud I could have recorded it. He told me, he wished he'd recorded the whole conversation it was all so good.

Phew.
Praise the Lord. PRAISE the Lord.
It's all grace.

In this battle against fallible reasoning, where right thinking may become a matter of life or death, thankfully, we are not left alone. God has graciously given us a Standard of Truth by which we may judge aright, to which we may refer, rather must refer, and that often.

And look what I found today while rummaging around in my commonplace for an appropriate quote. Whoa. Great minds think alike...

"How are we to get this vital knowledge, without which we assuredly perish? - not in some unknown future state, but here and now, a slow paralysis creeps upon us. We have seen that there is but one source of illumination, the Bible itself. It is true that the divine Spirit is a light in every man's soul; but if a lamp is to be kindled, there must be the lamp; and it would seem as if the process followed by the Holy Spirit were to teach us by an arresting illumination, from time to time, of some phrase written in the Bible. Hence, our business is, before all things, to make ourselves acquainted with the text. (v4, p84)

By long, slow study and by quick heart's love we shall learn to discern God, to know in an instant those words which are not of him... (v4, p89)"

And this is the advice I gave myself on the temptation to be 'reasonably' annoyed on Thursday, and that which I subsequently shared with my son for 'truthfully' dealing with the temptation to use faulty reasoning to defend his wrongdoing.

Turn reason right side out.

We have a choice regarding what we will think about.

We can sit and smolder, thinking of all the reasons 'Why I am justifiably annoyed today', which will absolutely not help the situation, even if it feels by far the most reasonable thing at the moment.
Or, we could list all the reasons 'Why I can do this thing and disobey just this once'.
We can defend ourselves with good reasons to act whichever way the wind blows.

OR

"...We turn away our thoughts from beholding evil, the evil in another or the evil suggestion to ourselves; and we do so, not by reasoning the matter out, but just by thinking of something else, some other pleasant or interesting thing belonging for the moment to our lives. For we are so made that there is always with the temptation an easy and natural way of escape."

I can't even tell you what good advice this is. Seriously.

Turn the thoughts.

To Scripture. Listen to an audiobook for 5 minutes. Take a shower. Eat peanut butter toast with limited edition raspberry jelly. Make coffee. Sit and read a visually appealing book with a 6yo Great is Thy Faithfulness aficionado. Search the attic for an old pair of running shoes. Sing a folksong or three and read poems. Make every opportunity to avoid direct speech with teenager until full composure has set in, toast and coffee are digested, etc.

When faced with temptation, think of something else, find something pleasant or interesting (and lawful) to do or think about.

Fallible reasoning can be overcome.

By testing with truth.
By thought turning.
By taking in big gulps of grace.

:)

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ."

2 Cor.9:5

This post is based on thoughts on the first part of Chapter 11 in Volume 3, School Education by Charlotte Mason. The topic, Some Unconsidered Aspects of Intellectual Training, is one option for posts advocated by the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival 2014 Schedule. If you'd like to read other posts on the subject, be sure to read all the February editions.
If you'd like to share your post with the upcoming carnival, find out how here.
Find links to past CMBCarnivals here.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

We've kept at least five really big ones for nine whole months. Can you believe we've never ever told a single soul (pre-birth) the gender (or names) of our previous five babies-in-waiting? Matter of fact, we've been so good at keeping secrets, we even kept them from ourselves!

Until recently, despite the prescience of ultrasound, we managed not to find out who we were adding to our family until each one actually made his or her own personal entrance. Anticipation built over months to make the moment of birth into an irreplaceably dramatic revelation of what came at the end of the umbilical cord. An emotionally stirring Introduction. Of course, the secret couldn't help getting out then.

It was absolutely precious, and EXACTLY what we wanted.

For months, we had names picked out for either or, and we were ever so happy just to wait and see. When people asked, as they always did, what we were having, we'd give them pause by whispering, “A baby!” Of course, that's not what they wanted to know... and we knew it. But then again, we didn't know what they wanted to know either... if you know what I mean.

We've never found out ahead of time. Until last October, that is. This time, being most likely the last time, I was wavering about whether to know or not to know. Problem is, I was wavering right there on the ultrasound table. And the doctor was not wavering at all. She didn't even waver slightly as she discovered the telling sign and unwaveringly told us her discovery before we could tell her...

Oh.
Well, there was no going back then, was there...
So, now we knew.
Of course, it has been so long ago now.
It almost seems like we've always known who 'tis waiting (rather actively I might add) there inside me.
Oh and guess what?! Even though it's all so unexpected...

It's still absolutely precious, and EXACTLY what we wanted.

'Cause keeping a secret is hard work, this time we've decided to tell our secret before it gets accidentally discovered. Again. :) I hope this is as fun for you as it is for me... SURPRISE!
We're having a... baby!!

:)

Okay. I know. Look closely, now...

Oh, did you think getting secrets out of me was going to be easy?!(Click to zoom)

Monday, February 10, 2014

The {Nature Study Monday} link up is for ANY nature study-ish blog post written at any time during the current month. Which means, when you submit your link, it will show up in every. single. {NSM} post. during the whole month! Oh, and be not confused, feel free to link up on any day, be it Monday or not!

Look what I discovered! Lots of leaves, blooms and several squashes in the making!

Of course, the kids have seen all of this LONG ago and have been making spontaneous daily reports.
It's just me that's finally gotten out to have a good long look *with* my camera. :)
Thankfully, Siah (9) was with me and could point out ALL the particulars.

Friday, February 7, 2014

No, not Slide nor Sled, even if it IS snowing at your house... apparently they got 4" in Portland!?!

Sloyd.
Incorporating Paper Sloyd as schoolwork provides great warm-up exercises in strengthening intellectual habits all year round (I've tried it!!). Who would have thought? Paper folding! It can also be great fun and spur one on to make some cool stuff. Read on and you'll see what I mean.

I learned about Sloyd through Charlotte Mason some time back, but never was sufficiently inspired to do more than schedule it until this summer while attending a workshop by my friend BobbyJo in Minnesota. At that time, I had recently been considering it again, though I can't remember why... maybe due to my friend Richele and its relation to Mathematics or maybe convos with yet another friend Tammy? Either way, for better or worse, I resolved to begin our adventures in Paper Folding the subsequent schoolyear (last fall).

Of course, we didn't start during the first term; that would have been So Very Drastic. :) This term however, we started at the very beginning (which is a very good place to start) in Paper Sloyd for Primary Grades. Even for the elder students who have no experience, Sloyd has it's benefits, though we must keep moving in order to keep attention and not insult pride or patience. We started with the basics as presented in this book. Working in order, we've finished the first nine projects over the last several weeks.

My littles have been especially SUPER excited about each project they can make as-is or adapt for gifts for their siblings and friends' special occasions! Two days after creating the envelope, we had a birthday! Not incidentally, that sister received more than one special note wrapped in a handmade envelope/wall hanger this year. :)

All of us have had to work into this new venue. I had to learn to be clear and careful in GIVING instructions. We have all had to work to maintain a friendly and relaxed atmosphere (struggle on, perfectionists!). The kids have had to make an effort not to get overwhelmed or frustrated while listening and concentrating in a group context with various skill levels represented. We have seen great progress in all of these after the first few projects! Yay!

Every project boasts a series of instructions to be followed including drawing lines, cutting, folding, etc. The comeliness of the final product is in direct correlation to how carefully each instruction is carried out. At every point, each step depends upon the previous step being done exactly. Students must pay attention and concentrate all the way through the verbal instructions. They must follow those same instructions thoroughly and accurately or their project will be wrong or turn out looking 'junky'.

Here's the low down...

A perfect product is not the immediate goal (though I would be concerned if they cared not at all, but that hasn't been a problem with mine). My main objective is that the students take care to listen, concentrate and follow instructions thoroughly and accurately. If desired, they may later redo a project that they feel turned out poorly because of lack of skill or as a result of some inadvertent mistake (see below).

Instructions are succinct on purpose. The student has to audibly process the instructions in order to follow through. I repeat the instructions aloud twice (w/ demo for my year one student when there's any potential confusion). Ahead of time, I emphatically encourage them to *think* before asking a question. It's much easier to ask a question than to think. If they can't seem to figure it out, they may wait and watch how someone else interprets the information (though obviously, I'd rather they figure it out for themselves).

Everyone must respect others' need for concentration and NOT talk during the process unless asking a necessary question. It's also easy to get frustrated and have an outburst upon making a mistake - great for practicing self-control. (I encourage them that this is a learning process, to look for a way to make up for their mistake, and continue if possible. See next point)

Disallowing re-do's mid-project obliges the student to experience natural consequences (a less than stellar final result). I have given second chances once or twice in order for my littlest to not feel overwhelmedly discouraged. One difficulty is, allowing one student to 'start over' because they're not happy with their cut or have folded wrong, requires the rest of the group to wait while they catch up. Or, I have to keep track of where two different sets are in the instructions line-up. Asking them to carry on (sometimes it's easy to make amends for mistakes by adjusting the measurements of the initial project size by trimming off a mistake), finish the project and re-do it if desired AFTER they know all of the instructions, seems to have been an acceptable consequence in most cases. This might be explained ahead of time to ward off an emotional blow up mid-project.

Teacher Tips:
Of vital importance for parents and educators → DO: Initiate & Direct, DO NOT: Control or Dominate.

Pre-work reminders...

Make sure to have materials ready - mine are kept in a basket and collected at the end (scissors, rulers, hole punches, glue sticks, etc.).

Have everyone clear their space of everything except scissors, ruler and a sharpened pencil.

Remind everyone that this is a time for listening, concentrating and working quietly. "We want to be quiet so that others can do the same."

Remind them that you will be repeating each of the instructions several times. For that reason also, we will listen carefully and think before asking questions. We might wait and see if watching what our neighbor does will help us to understand."

Remind everyone that this is practice. "It's okay if we make a mistake. We'll do our best and get better with practice. If we do make a mistake, we'll keep going if possible. If it's not possible to fix it, we'll keep listening and following along to all of the instructions until they are finished and we can start over."

We've been talking about this on the AO Forum, check that out here and here.

The optional topic for discussion during February for the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival is: Some Unconsidered Aspects of Intellectual Training. This post is my contribution to that discussion. If you would like to participate, see this post for more information! All CM inspired posts are welcome.

Wanna Share?!

If you do blog specifically about Paper Sloyd, please come back and link with us so we can see and learn from you!!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Attn: Charlotte Mason bloggers! You're invited! Please consider joining us by submitting a post, or just reading along! Submissions are due by 2/10 and 2/24 anytime before 5pm EST. Send the URL of your post in an e-mail to: charlottemasonblogs (at) gmail (dot) com.
As always, we welcome all Charlotte Mason inspired blog posts! Bloggers vary widely in their gifts and experiences, which means, we can all learn from each other. We hope you'll share with us!
Below, you will find an optional topic, a thought provoking quote (or two) and several ideas for those who need a little writing prompt or who would like some direction for further study. :)
I look forward to reading and sharing!

Monday, February 3, 2014

After reading the fungi section in The Handbook of Nature Study and several mushroom prints later, I hope never to disdain a mushroom again. They're actually rather beautiful in their own warty fungal way.

Lovely.

I'm so proud of them.

It was over 90 degrees and highly humid...

Gotta love us some fungus.

:)

Snag a button if you wanna! :)
Come back and share your nature studies with us this month!

The {Nature Study Monday} link up is for ANY nature study-ish blog post written at any time during the current month. Which means, when you submit your link, it will show up in every. single. {NSM} post. during the whole month! Oh, and be not confused, feel free to link up on any day, be it Monday or not!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Apart from the sense that Macbeth may generically represent the battle of every man against his baser nature, I was thrilled to find out that my family has an even more personal and IRL connection with Shakespeare's play Macbeth!

My extremely cool Uncle Steve is into genealogical research and he's done a TON of it. As it just so happens, he even reads my blog sometimes! Aw. Isn't that nice? He wrote saying he had seen my last post on Macbeth, and is SO super nice (have I said that already?) that he sent me some stuff he'd found related to what we were studying! Yep. Cool. Anyway, somewhere in his research he had run across the fact that my dad's side of the family is actually descendant from the in real life King Duncan I and his son Malcolm III, the historical figures on whom Shakespeare based his work.